Remaining Loyal in Uncertain Times

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Its very important that everyone continue giving just like we do when the church doors are open.

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If you have a need please let them know or call me and we will bring you supplies or run errands

We will have our second online service this Wednesday at 6:30! Romans

We are going to be in 2 Timothy this morning

The sermon is titled “Remaining Loyal in Uncertain Times”

We are in places we have never been as far as a church

No congregational meetings

Much less accountability

No set date when things will return to normal

We are stuck inside our homes

People fighting over toilet paper and food

EVERYTHING ELSE MAY FALL APART around us, we have a call to remain loyal to the Lord through it all

2 Timothy 1:1

Paul wrote this letter from his prison cell

Since the Damascus road he had faithfully served the Lord

It was an uncertain time for Paul

Paul knew his end was near

It had been prophesied over him

The Spirit had confirmed it in his heart

And here he sat with all this time on his hands

What did Paul do?

Over two years Paul sat in thta prison

He remained loyal to his Master

Like Paul we too are sitting in our homes with no certainty about how things will unfold

Verse 2

But even in this dungeon, this place of uncertainty Paul allows God to use him

We have never seen anything like this virus that we are seeing sweep through our nation

Paul made just as big of impact from his prison cell than he did from the pulpit

He is faithful, even though things seem uncertain

Although Paul was in a dungeon he

He used his time wisely

He continues to serve God, even from a prison cell

He wrote letters (7 prison letters)

No time was wasted after Paul’s conversion

This letter was addressed to a young pastor named Timothy

This letter we are reading today was addressed to a young man named Timothy.

He was a new pastor and realizing this is no easy task

Paul wrote him a letter of encouragement and direction

Paul even called Timothy his “true son in the faith”

This message is not about Timothy but about Paul

Paul did not see the glass half empty he always sought and found opportunity to be loyal to the Lord

He had experiecned false teachers

He gave wisdom to Timothy to bring glory to God

Timothy had already wanted to leave the church he was assigned to

Whether it wss writing letters

Or witnessing to guards

Or worshiping Jesus

He found ways to remain faithful to God whether it was writing letters or witnessing to guards.

Paul’s life was all about the gospel

Paul knew his calling in lifer was proclaiming the gospel.

My question for you this morning is, “How will you remain loyal to God during this time of separation?”

He had shed tears to Paul and now Paul is going to give Timothy some encouragement as he

Will you lay around and waste the extra time?

Will you turn on Netflix and watch movies for the next two months?

Or will you find out where God is working in the midst of all this and get on board with it...

Who will you find someone to pour into during this time

Maybe its your children

Maybe its a great time to witness to that neighbor

Maybe its a time when you need to draw closer to God

Paul is going to give some us some principles this morning of things we can do while we sit in our homes and wait

2 Timothy 1:3-

Look at Verse 3

“I thank God whom I serve with a pure conscience”

Paul Never Strayed From His Loyalty to God

“He served God with a pure conscious”

He is out of the public eye

There was no one to judge him while he sat all alone

Paul could have easily said hey its time to put my feet up and ride this thing out

He could have easily gotten lazy in the cell

He could have even reasoned with himself that there is nothing that he could do

BUT there was never a time when Paul saw himself as “absent from his ministry”

There was never a time when Paul thought its time to take it easy and coast

There never was a time when Paul lowered his moral standards

There never was a time when Paul was outright unfaithful to God

Paul always saw himself first and foremost as a servant of Jesus Christ

What Paul did in the temple was no different than what Paul did in prison

He served Him with a pure (clear) conscience

Whatever Paul did he did in full commitment to God

Notice what he says to Timothy, “whom I serve with a pure conscience” (clear conscience)

Would God have approved of Paul’s jail ministry? YES

When Paul was a Pharisee he worshiped according the OT

When He converted he worshiped Jesus Christ

The point is he maintained a full commitment to God as he understood it

Timothy is doing what Paul would love to do (pastor the church)

No matter where he was made sure his commitment to the Lord was fulfilled

There is going to be a lot of free time for many of us over these upcoming weeks

Paul was sitting in prison in chains and Paul showed young Timothy what loyalty to the Lord looked like

Verse 3 “I thank God whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers”

Timothy must have thought what an inspiration!

Here I am free and Paul in in prison waiting to die yet he still prays for me!!

Here Paul is in prison writing letters of encouragement

What a Christian that Paul was

This is a time to

There is going to be a lot of free time on many of our hands over these upcoming weeks

Some will have a change in routine

Some may no longer be working

Some may not know what to do with themselves

Our responsibility is to remain loyal to God and the gospel first and foremost

Paul never stopped serving from the prison cell

And we have a responsibility to be loyal to the Master even from the privacy of our homes

We must remain loyal to the church

Paul never put his feet u

We must do it with a clear conscious

Don’t let yourself drift during these times

Not being in church can be a dangerous and we must keep ourselves pure

We must not let our guard down to the temptations around us

We must keep our hearts pure and serving God

A crisis is not a time to sacrifice your moral integrity

Maintain your Christian standards

Listen to what Paul did while he was in prison:

Verse 3b-4

Paul gave three examples of how he served God:

He continuously prayed for Timothy

This is a time for the church to be praying people

One of our most powerful tools is prayer and we must continue to be faithful in it

How do we defeat the corona virus: Pray

How do we stay healthy: Pary

How do we comfort one another: Pray!

I spoke with someone this week who was having some hardships and my advice was to pray and let God resolve it

Within a coupe days God answered that prayer

God is faithful

God is going to take care of his people

He is going to take ca

Don’t stop praying for one another

He longed to see Timothy again

There is something missing in everyone of our lives right now and its our spiritual family

Our immediate family is very special to us

We have parents and siblings who bring a special joy into our lives

But we are twice blessed because we also have a spiritual family

And when we are separated from our spiritual family it hurts us

Its like not being able to see someone we love for a long period of time

One thing I look forward to when I take a trip is the home coming

Ashley is real nice to me when I have been gone 3, 4, or 5 days.

She cooks me food and smiles and really likes me (mainly because she’s scared to be alone)

But when I great home there is a great reunion

When we get back to church there is going to be a great reunion!

Let us not forget how easily our freedom can be taken away from us

Let us not forget how quickly life can change

Let us not forget how blessed we are to be a part of the family of God!!

I long to see each and everyone of you

I cannot wait to shake your hands and see your faces

I cannot wait until we come together to sing hymns and praise our God together!

Pray for a great revival in our church because of this separation

Paul said he was mindful of Timothy’s tears

Timothy had it rough

He had already wanted to leave the church in Ephesus but Paul charged him to remain there

Timothy was told to teach sound doctrine because there were some teaching false doctrine

Timothy was told to ignore the myths and traditions that plagued the church

Timothy felt the weight of ministry

Paul said, “I am mindful of your tears Timothy”

This is a time when we are to be mindful of the less fortunate

Maybe you need to give a pack of toilet paper to a neighbor

Maybe you need to encourage someone who is having a hard time financially

Maybe you need to make a phone call to someone who is lonely

Some of our members are experiencing loneliness

Reach out to your brothers and sisters and try to encourage or help those who have needs

attacking each other

I talked to someone two days ago who said what kept him going was eating at restaurants and talking to other people

We need to be mindful of these people

Pray for them, call them, send them a card or a gift or letter

Be mindful of others during this time

Verse 5-6

We Must Keep Our Faith Kindled

Stir up the gift of God within you (kindle afresh NASB)

“When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you…therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you”

Paul is not telling Timothy he had let his spiritual fire burn out

He is telling him to fan the flames of it

The NASB says to kindle the fire

Its a reminder to us also that our spiritual life is dependent upon how we treat it

This thing could last several months

It doesn’t take but about a week or two of missing church before our spiritual life suffers

Our not coming together is going to require more effort on our part!

We have got to keep our spiritual fire burning

This is also a time when many are asking questions about our faith

We are seeing something in the world right now that is unlike anything we have ever seen

People are more open to the gospel

Peopler are curious about faith

People are looking for answers and its in Jesus Christ!

AND people are getting saved!

This is a time to stoke the fire!

Pour into your spiritual life!

Spend time in the word of God!

Spend time in prayer!

Look for ways that God can use you!

Let your lamps burn bright!

Tell people about the hope that is in you!

This is not a time to burn down, but to burn brighter!

People are getting save

It is at this time that the world needs to see the hope that is in us

Paul said he could see the genuine faith that Timothy possessed

He said fan the flames of that faith

Because he had genuine faith he said set it ablaze!

It is not to say Timothy had let his fire burn out

He was saying to Timothy “KEPP IT BURNING!”

Keep using your spiritual gifts during this time!

If you are an encourager then encourage!

If you have the gift of praying then pray!

If you have the gift of teaching then teach!

Don’t stop using your spiritual gifts!

God will make a way for you to be effective if you allow him

T

Power

The Holy Spirit is what empowers the believer

Your source of power is not in yourself but from the Spirit

Love

Verses 8-12

God is love

Therefore we are to show love not just to those we like but to all people

Let the love of Christ shine through you

sound mind (judgement)

Please use wise judgement

Don’t go out and think you cannot catch this stuff

Don’t go out anymore than you have to

If you need something please call me or a deacon and we will get it for you

We can trust God with our lives

“For I know whom I have believed”

Is this the beginning of the end?

It could be....this is something unlike anything we have ever seen

Whether it is or it isn’t we must be sure we know in whom we have believed

Life is so delicate

Three weeks ago we would have never thought we would be where we are today

Jesus said he will come like a thief in the night

Jesus said he will come when many least expect it

My question to you:

“Are you able to say with all confidence whom you have believed in?”

Are you totally secure in Christ and if He was to come today, you are ready?”

Paul said, I am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day”

What had Paul committed to Him? HIS LIFE

EVERYTHING

Paul knew death was immanent for Him

Does the Christian need to worry about tomorrow?

Does the Christian need to worry about the corona virus?

NO

Because if we have committed our lives to Him then He is going to keep them until that glorious day!

Do you live a life that is committed to Jesus Christ?

If not you can start today

Paul said he is persuaded that Christ is able to keep what he has entrusted to Him

Salvation is a transfer of trust

Its a decision to stop trusting the world or in yourself and transfer that trust into the hands of Jesus

If you want to be saved let me lead you in a prayer today:

If you were in Paul’s shoes at that moment could you say with all confidence, “I know in whom I have believed”

Are you saved?

Have you surrendered your life to Jesus Christ

“I know whom I have entrusted to Him until that day”

If your not sure if your saved you can be saved today

God I am a sinner and I need a Savior

I don’t know what would happen to me right now if I were to die

But I believe that you died and rose from the dead to save me from my sin

And today i am committing my life into your hands

God please forgive me of my sin and and save me today

And Lord help me to live for you until you return.

Amen

If you prayed that prayer would you comment on this post so we can pray for you?

~Closing Prayer~

Church stay loyal to the Master during this time

I long to see each of you

May God bless us while we are apart

Reminder to meet Wednesday same place 6:30

~Closing Prayer~